Sam was just up from his nap and he was getting his coffee so he wasn't too reciprocal in his responses.
"You know that rough cut diamond tree that I made last year at the shoppe? Brian Gluckstein has got trees that look exactly like that in this years' Christmas decor. He must have had a factory make them though because his are molded without framework underneath. I had to use a frame to hot glue all my acrylic rock crystals onto. It took me seven hours to make my tree. I'm guessing his didn't take quite that long to make."
Sam chuckled good naturedly at the frustrated tone in Simmy's voice.
"I wonder if he had the idea before you had yours," Sam mused.
"I've always liked his stuff so I'll assume we had the idea at the same time," Simmy huffed.
"Oh, Sam, I forgot to tell you what happened to me... when you had your nap."
"Hmm?" Sam sounded a little less than interested but Simmy needed to tell her little story so...
"Do you know that new little paved path that we rode our bikes on last time we went out for a cycle?"
"Mmm Hmm," Sam monotoned with toothpaste in his mouth.
"Well, I decided to go roller blading seeing as the snow that fell yesterday had melted. So, I get to that new little paved path and I think to myself... what a wonderful little path to try my roller blades on. I get about halfway down the path and I noticed that the green space, right beside, has brand new sod on it. It must have been laid just hours before this because the overlapped pieces of sod weren't even cut off yet. I'm a bit distracted and suddenly I find myself slipping on greasy mud and I almost face plant before I jump onto the sod to avoid that unpleasant experience. I decide to walk on the sod to get to the paved street but after a few steps I look down and my roller blades look like Sasquatch feet there is so much grass stuck in the wheels. I stand there for a few seconds trying to decide how I'm going to get out of this predicament. I'm feeling pretty silly but desperate too. I decide to walk on the mud encrusted path to try to stomp some of the mud and grass out of my wheels."
"That must have been cute. You were probably in the mood to stomp by then anyway," Sam said with amusement.
"No kidding," Simmy agreed. "I finally get myself onto the pavement and I start roller blading really slowly because if the wheels lock my face will meet the pavement really fast. I've learned that the hard way," Simmy quipped deliberately.
"I managed to get the wheels free enough of mud to get them spinning fairly quickly and I was just glad I didn't have to walk home in my socks like that other time," Simmy shuddered.
"The workers who laid that sod probably thought some stupid kids had to go and roller blade on their work before they even had it done," Sam said.
Simmy got a wide- eyed look on her face, realizing that she hadn't even given the fresh sod one little thought she had been so concerned with getting out of this little predicament.
Guilt flashed across her face, the kind only responsible people can experience... responsible, grown- up people who have raised responsible children.
Simmy whipped her head around at the sound of a little snort and Sam was doing all he could to hold in his laughter before Simmy suddenly found the whole thing too ridiculous not to laugh at it.
"Well, at least they won't suspect me! I'm way too old to be that stupid kid!"
"Think of it this way! Brian Gluckstein's blog is boring compared to yours. His stories aren't nearly as entertaining!" Sam said cajolingly.
"Thanks Sam! I don't think I'm feeling consoled. I'm just a diamond in the rough, literally and figuratively... today anyway!"
